The Giant Stuffed Fish Trip

When I was a kid taking a roadtrip was serious business. We were on a mission: reach final destination as fast as possible. This mission meant that the only stops were for refilling gas.

You're going to pee your pants? Hold it.

You're hungry? Check the cooler for the last soggy peanut butter sandwich.

You're going to be sick? Grab a pillowcase. (Seriously, this happened once and it wasn't good).

Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Arches National Monument, Four Corners. Through the car window at 80 miles per hour.

Do you even know how many times I begged to stop and see Hole 'n' the Rock? It is a big freaking hole in a big freaking rock. Never happened. I'm still totally intrigued - especially after checking their website just now and seeing that the Hole features zebras as well.

Now I am all grown up and roadtripping again with my parents.

So what did we do?

Convinced them that it was utterly and completely important to everyone's survival that we stop at every roadside attraction, including, but not limited to, cool rocks.

The fish was the clincher. That crazy giant stuffed fish that my Dad bought for my kids a few years ago totally sealed the deal. We still had to hold our pee, but the fish NEEDED its picture taken.